Hearing Aoki's words, Urahara Kisuke was stunned for a moment. His fan spun lazily between his fingers, but his eyes remained sharp and unreadable. He didn't lower his guard. Instead, he calmly asked, "Who are you?"
"People?" Aoki echoed with a faint smile. "Strictly speaking, I'm no longer human." He gestured toward the street behind them. "Why don't we talk in your shop? I got a little carried away earlier. With that kind of spiritual pressure, I wouldn't be surprised if a Captain-class Shinigami is dispatched soon."
He wasn't exaggerating.
The Soul Society constantly monitored spiritual disturbances in the Human World. The detection of a powerful reiatsu signature—especially one tainted with Hollow energy—would certainly trigger immediate investigation. A Captain-level operative might already be en route through the Dangai.
Soon, the three of them were seated within Urahara Shōten. The small shop, though modest, had a certain warmth to it. This time, however, there was one more presence—Shihōin Yoruichi, seated with arms crossed. From the subtle pulse in the air, Aoki could tell that a Kekkai—a spiritual barrier—had been quietly erected around the premises. Likely Urahara's doing. A precaution to keep the battle—if one occurred—contained within this plane.
"No need to be so tense," Aoki said lightly, looking around the shop's modest tea room. "I meant no harm. That guy outside—he's using Kidō, right? It was impressive."
Aoki took a sip of the tea placed before him. The warmth was subtle, calming. For someone who had wandered through the cold, endless sands of Hueco Mundo for over a thousand years, this simple comfort stirred something deeply human.
Watching him quietly savor the tea, Urahara—still on alert—finally broke the silence. "Mind telling me your name now?"
Aoki nodded. "My name is Aoki. What I said before was a little cryptic. My apologies."
Boom.
As if on cue, both Urahara and Yoruichi immediately slipped into combat stances. Urahara's hand hovered near his cane. Yoruichi's muscles coiled like a spring, faint traces of Shunkō lightning gathering around her arms.
Aoki raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Relax. I told you—I don't mean any harm. I haven't lied to you."
Urahara didn't budge. "Forgive us if we're skeptical. Hollows don't usually walk in through the front door and ask for tea."
"Fair," Aoki replied, eyes flicking toward Yoruichi. "But should I remind you that the Gotei Thirteen slay anything that isn't a Shinigami? It's not as if you allow creatures like me to just… exist."
Yoruichi narrowed her golden eyes, flickers of lightning sparking around her fingertips. "So you're a Hollow, and you expect us to believe you're here to chat?"
"I didn't say I was just a Hollow," Aoki said calmly. "And again—if it's a fight you want, I'll give you one. But are you certain you're my match?"
His words weren't arrogance. They were truth built on centuries of survival in Hueco Mundo, where every breath came at the expense of another's life. Hueco Mundo did not forgive weakness. Aoki had learned that long ago.
Yoruichi glanced at Kisuke, who remained silent but tense.
"How do you know about us?" she finally asked.
Urahara was already drawing lines in his mind—this being knew of their identities, their roles, and even their combat strengths. The only others who held such insight were deeply entrenched within Soul Society—or were traitors to it.
Before he could voice his thoughts, Aoki spoke again.
"Our meeting today is a coincidence. But even if it hadn't happened now, I planned to seek you out eventually."
He sipped again, savoring the warmth.
"I need your help. In exchange, I'm offering assistance. You've got your hands full with recent… developments."
Aoki's tone hinted at deeper knowledge. He didn't need to name Aizen. The mention was implied.
He was here for something else—information. Specifically, knowledge about time and space. His arrival in this world was no divine act or planned transition. It had been a rupture. An accident. A one-way displacement.
Now, he wanted to return.
But saying such a thing outright would be absurd, even in this world of Shinigami, Hollows, and Quincies. For now, his priority was to gather everything Kisuke knew about dimensional science and spiritual pathways.
Urahara blinked, but his expression remained unreadable. Of all the things he'd expected from this encounter, a Hollow-turned-man requesting academic consultation wasn't one of them.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, two months had gone by.
And in that time, Urahara came to a conclusion: Aoki truly meant no harm. Had he harbored ill intent, the shop would have been rubble and its inhabitants long dead. His reiatsu was overwhelming—dense and oppressive like the Vasto Lorde of old.
He had fought alongside Tessai Tsukabishi during those weeks. The former Kidō Commander-General of the Gotei 13, a man who once stood as the pinnacle of ghost technique, watched Aoki's progress in awe.
In just two months, Aoki had completely internalized the principles of Kidō.
"There's nothing more I can teach you," Tessai admitted one afternoon. "You've grasped spells that take lifetimes to master."
Despite his humility, Tessai's pride in Kidō was well known. That he would concede so easily spoke volumes.
Aoki merely smiled. "Thank you for your guidance. Kidō is a remarkable art."
Meanwhile, Yoruichi Shihōin had taken a more physical approach to evaluating their guest. As a master of Shunpō and a living legend of speed, she had been confident in her superiority. And while she held the edge in their early spars, she found herself outpaced by Aoki in later sessions.
He was evolving.
"Your growth rate is unnatural," she muttered one evening.
Urahara leaned against the wall. "If you want to continue developing, Soul Society might be your next destination. I can recommend someone."
Aoki shook his head. "I have no desire to become a Shinigami. But could you find more data about interdimensional pathways? I'm hitting a wall."
Urahara scratched his chin. "Again, your best bet might be the Central Great Underground Library in Seireitei. If what you're looking for exists, it would be archived there."
Then, with a chuckle, he added, "But I have a request of my own. A favor, really."
Aoki set down his tea, eyes narrowing with amusement. "You're not very subtle, Kisuke. If you want something, just ask. After all, I've been freeloading here for two months. What do you want?"
He already had a hunch. It all circled back to Aizen Sōsuke.
Urahara laughed, waving his fan. "Ah! You wound me."
Then, he grew serious.
"This task isn't one I ask lightly. It's dangerous—possibly fatal. You don't have to accept it. But if you do… it may change the balance of this world."